Automatic folding and stitching suit box machine



April 19, 1932. H.- s. LABOMBARDE AUTOMATIC FOLDING AND STITCHING SUITBOX MACHIN Fil ed Aug. 15, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet l flue afar a #0 ringApril 19, 1932. H. s. LABOMBARDE I 1,854,798

AUTOMATIC FOLDING AND STITCHING SUIT. BOX MACHINE Filed Aug. 15, 1928 7Sheets-Sheet 2 WJ W I Q. 4 j AN Inc/wafer 63 My ffoi'iig April 19, 1932.H. s. LABOMBARDE AUTOMATIC FOLDING AND STITCHING SUIT BOX MACHINE FiledAug. l5, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 121062 itaz" QMJWM 19 N QSN H- S.LABOMBARDE Filed Aug. 15, 1928 D Q Q AUTOMATIC FOLDING AND STITCHINGSUIT BOX MACHINE April 19, 1932;

April l9, 1932. H. s; LABOMBARDE' AUTOMATIC FOLDING AND STITCHING SUITBOX MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. '15; 1928 April .19, 1932.

AUTOMATIC H. s. LABOMBARDE 1,854,798 FOLDING AND STITCHING SUIT BOXMACHINE Filed Aug. 1-5, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 L2 v e "for & M 64% Lyflffioz "nay April 1932- H. s. LABOMBARD'E 1,854,798

AUTOMATI FOLDING AND STITCHING SUIT BOX MACRINE Filed Au 15, 1928 7Sheets-Sheet 7 X /c 8 l Z "i i a 6 I y' X 'l'ziveznor a fin fine y 10certain portions of each Patented Apr. 19, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFcs HAROLD s, LA-ZBOMIBARDE, or NASHU'A, NEW HAMPSHIRE, nssrcnon T was:nm'ms- NATIONAL PAPER IBOX MACHINE PORATION 0]. v MAINE COMPANY, OFNASHUA, NEW A 003- AUTOMATIC FOLDING AND STITCHIN G SUI'Jl BOX CmApplication filed August 15, 1928. Ser1a1 No. 299,808

This invention relates to the manufacture of paper containers, and hasparticular reference to the production of that type of cartons known assuit boxes each of whlch usui ally consists of two members practicallyalike except. that one is slightly larger than the other.

There have been produced heretofore, machines which fold blanks, andstitch or staple blank together, and deliver them in flat foldedcondition; but so far as I am aware all have possessedsome obiections,notably lack of speed in producing the desired articles, due to themachine in- 15 eluding reciprocating operating members.

One of the objects of thepresent invention is to produce an improvedmachine for making flat folded and stitched cartons, all of the fimovably operating members of which ma- 150 chine are rotary or.otherwise continuous in movement, and which machine is, therefore,

capable of a very high speed of productlon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine which, accordingto the presence or absence of certain stationary folder members, iscapable of producing, at equal speeds, either one of two different kindsof flat folded boxes or cartons.

Another object is to provide a machine having means for effecting a veryquick adjustment (known as the set up) when a different size of blank isto be operated upon.

Another object is to provide a machine which not only converts blanksinto flat 35 folded and secured boxes or cartons but also so acts oncertain transverse crease lines of the otherwise completed articles asto break said lines in order to facilitate later setting up of thecartons by users.

With the above and other objects in view, which will be explained, theinvention consists in the construction and combination of partssubstantially as hereinafter described and claimed. v

Of the accompanying drawings:

Figures 1 and 2, taken together, constitute a plan view of the entiremachine, omitting a few parts which need no illustration.

Figure 3 represents a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 represents a section on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 represents a section on line 5-5 of Figures 1 and 3, omittingsome parts.

Figure 6 represents a section on line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 represents a section on line 7 -'l' of Figure 2. r

Figures 8 and '9 are views similar-to the left-hand portion of Figure.4, on a lar or scale, each of said Figures some parts in order toclearly.

Figure 10 is an enlarged detail view of one of the pair of arrestingfingers or stops and its mounting; r

Figure 11 is an enlarged detail view of the nger mechanism whichcontrols the operation of the stitchers.

Figure 12 is a diagram of the mechanism and electrical connectionscontrolled by the finger mechanism of- Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a plan view of one form of show others more blank uponwhich the machine illustrated opcrates, said view also lines the creaselines blanks are died out.

Figure 14 is a plan view of the same blank after it has been folded andstitched.

Figures 15 and 16 are views similar to Figures 13 and 14 butillustrating another form of blank upon which the machine will operate.

Similar reference characters indicate simillustrating by dotted usuallymade when the ilar parts or features in all of the views.

The machine as a whole has primary and secondary folding mechanisms atan'angle to each other.

To facilitate. an understanding of the invention, thefollowingpreliminary description is given:-

Assuming that blanks such as illustrated by Figure 15 are to beconvertedto the flat folded and stitched condition illustrated by Figure 16, saidblanks travel in the direction of the arrow 1 (Fig. 1-5) from the feedtable 22 (Fig. 1) and travel to a platform at the angle of Figure 1, andwhile so travelling, the flaps b b and diagonally creased corners e eare folded down and flat under the sec- 8 and 9 omittmg tions (1 0. Thenthe so partially folded blanks travel from the platform in aright-angular direction (see arrow 2, Figs. and 16), and while sotravelling, the narrow flaps d d are folded down and flat under thesections 0 and e, and farther along are stitched at a: 00. To effectthis result all folding is done while travelling to the stitchers, andno folding is done after passing the stitchers.

To produce another type of carton (see Figs. 13 and 14) it is onlynecessary to remove the folding members which before acted on the narrowflaps d d, and to make a few adjustments to accord with the differentshape of blanks and the required locations of the stitches w w.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 4, the-frame of the primary portion of themachine is indicated at 20, and the frame of the secondary portion ofthe machine isindicated at 21. A suitable table for a pile ofthe blanksto be acted upon is illustrated at 22. From said table the blanks arefed singly and successively by a combing wheel 23 carried by a shaft 24,and pass onto a carrier belt 25 mounted on pulleys 26, 27, and runningover rolls mounted in a cage bar 28 which is suitably mounted in theframe of the machine in a permanent position along the mid-width of theprimary portion of the machine.

An upper carrier belt 29 is mounted at the far end on a pulley 30carried by a driven shaft 31, the other end of the belt which isadjacent to the combing wheel being mounted on a small pulley 32.Between the pulley 32 and the combing wheel is a small presser roll 33carried by pivotally supported arms 34, each arm 34 having a spring 35connected to it to cause the roll 33 toensure such pressureon each fedblank onto the carrier belt 25 as to enable the latter to frictionallyadvance the blank. The operative run of the upper belt 29 is held incontact with the lower belt by a series of rolls mounted in a cage bar36 which is fixedly supported by tie rods 37 to occupy a permanentposition along the mid-width of the primary portion-of the machine (seealso Fig. 5).

An important feature of the invention is that although the machine iscapable of operating on a wide variety of sizes of blanks, a very rapidadjustment can be made to suit aparticular size. This is due to the factthat no lateral adjustment is ever required for the central membersincluding the feed wheel, carrier belts and roll cages. all of whichremain permanently at the mid-width of the machine. The only adjustmentrequired for a different size is of the carriages which bear the foldingdevices. Said carriages are on opposite sides of the carrier belts 25,29. and are simultaneously adjusted toward or from each other by rightand left hand screws 38 rotatablv mounted in frame brackets 39 (Fig. 1).Said screws are provided with sprockets en aged by an endless chainasillustrated in igures 1 and 2, and either one of the screws may beturned by a suitable crank to effect simultaneous rotation of all of thescrews. Each screw passes through an internally threaded projection of asleeve 40 slidably mounted on a tie rod 37. The operation of this partof the machine will now be described.

When the screws 38 are rotated, the sleeves 40 are slid simultaneouslytoward or from the carrier belts 25, 29, and their roll cages so thatthe guiding and folding devices which are supported by said sleeves willbe farther from or nearer to said carrier belts and cages. Each of thesleeves 40 has a depending bracket 41 (Fig. 5) carrying upper and lowerlong guide strips 42, 43, between which side portions of the blanks passas they travel with the carrier belts. The two lower guide strips 43 aremounted on vertical pins 44 mounted, preferably adjustably, in sleevesat the lower ends of the brackets 41, so that the space between eachupper and lower guide strip can be varied to suit blanks of differentthicknesses. Also supported by the brackets 41 of the sleeves 40 are thefolder bars 45 (Figs. 1 and 5) which are so bent or inclined relativelyto the guide strips as to fold the portions 6 b of the blanks down andunder the body a before the blanks reach the nipper rolls 46. As all ofthese parts just described andwhich are supported by the sleeves 4Oandtheir brackets are controlled as to their lateral positions bothsides of the carrier belts, a single operation of the right and lefthand screws 38 serves, as hereinbefore mentioned, to simultaneouslyeffect all adjustments that are required when a different size of blankis to be operated upon, thereby effecting very quickly what is termed aset up of the machine. It is important, for this purpose, that the rollcages and carrier belts shall be fixed to remain in central position, asotherwise a reliable quick adjustment or set up could not be effected. 3

Each blank, with two opposite marginal wall or flap portions 1) b foldedunder the. body portion, is delivered by the nipper rolls 46, over aguide bar 47 (Figs. 1 and 3) and onto the platform which will now bedescribed.

The platform comprises plates 48, 50, 51, past or between which chainshereinafter described travel in a direction at a right angle to the pathof travel which the blanks followed during their primary folding anddelivery onto the platform .by the nipper rolls 46. Extending partlyover the plate 51 is a plate 52 having its free edge curved upwardly toavoid liability of the arriving blank catching thereon, and to aid inguiding said arriving blank to position with its forward edge against anouter stop and guide bar 53.

To aid in correctly locating each primarily folded blank on theplatform, the following mechanism is provided Loosely mounted on theshaft 31 (Fig. l) are two sleeves 54 to which are secured, preferziblyadjustably, two rods 55 which support a lock curved yielding frictionteeth or fingers, suitably of rubber. The said shaft and wheel arerotated in the direction of the arrow by a belt 59 mounted on and drivenby a pulley 60 carried by the shaft 31, a tightener pulley 61 for thebelt being carried by a block adjustably mounted on upright rods 62supported by the block 56.

The height of the brushing wheel 58 above f the platform may be variedto suit the character of the blanks operated upon. Such adjustment iseffected by means of screws 63 carried by blocks mounted on a tie rod 37(Fig. 3) and bearing on the rods 55. Since said rods 55 are practicallypivotally supported on shaft 31, turning the screws 63 down results inraising the block 56 and the 'brush ing wheel, and vice versa.Preferably the friction fingers of the wheel 58 are so curved as to actnot only frictionally in urging the lanks against the position-arrestingbar or stop 53 but to also act yieldingly as pressers on the passingblanks, for a reason which will now be described.

The blanks delivered on the platform have had their flaps or sections12 1) (Figs. 14, 16) folded in under the sections a, and said sections 6I) still have a tendency to spring back cording to the quality of thematerial employed for the suit boxes or cartons. The downward pressurehowever of the curved yielding friction fingers of the wheel ensuresdeposit of the preliminarily folded blanks sufficiently fiat on theplatform to ensure their being properly engaged by the lugs or pins ofthe chains 64 which will now be described.

Each preliminarily folded blank arriving on the platform and squared upthereon by the mechanism just described, is immediately transferred in aright-angular direction by the chains 64 (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6) whichride on rails or guide bars 65 which comprises the main members of twoof the carriages hereinafter referred in connection with their lateraladjustabi-lity. Said chains are mounted at one end on sprockets carriedby driven shaft 66, and at the other end on sprockets carried by a shaft68, said chains having lugs or pins 67 spaced at suitable intervals toact on the rear edge of each blank arriving on the platform and push italong under a guide bar 69 supported by tie rods 7 O. Said guide bar 69is located at the mid-width of the first section of the secondaryportion of the machine.

Another guide bar 71 (Fig. 6) suitably supported by tie rods 76 coactswith the bar 69 in guiding the mid-width portions of the blanks andpreventing flexing or bending Igvhillela the portions d d are beingacted upon y t e chine is being used in connection with articles of theform illustrated by Figures 15 and 16'. Between the chains 64 and thefolder bars 72 are guide strips 73 similar to the guide strips 42, 43,employed in the primary folding portion of the machine.

Each folded blank is taken from the chains 64 by upper and lower belts74, 75 (Figs. 2, 4, 8 and 9) which are caused to travel at a higherspeed than the chains 64, so that, as the ront portion of each blank istaken control of by said belts, its rear edge will be drawn away fromthe path of the pins down around the chain sprockets. reason for thehigher speed of the belts is that since they carry the blanks toposition where they will be briefly halted and stitched as presentlydescribed, it is important that each blank shall arrive at the stitchingpoint sufficiently far inadvance of the next following one so that said,following one will not contact with the halted one.

The two upper belts 74 are driven by pul leys 76 carried by shaft 77,and the coacting lower belts are driven by pulleys 78 carried by shaft68. The gearing for operating said shafts and belts at the higher speedreferred to, may be such as illustrated in Figures 2, 8 and 9, or othersuitable gearing;

The upper runs of the lower belts are supported by idle rolls 79 (Fig.9) and the lower runs of the upper belts are held in cooperative twistedfolder bars 72, when the marelationship with the lower belts byyieldingly mounted rolls 80 carried by pivoted elbows having springs 81connected to suitable fixed points.

The belts 74, 7 5, tween the delivery the receiving ends 82 (Figs. 2, 4and bridge a slight space heends of the chains 64 and of a second pairof chains 9) having pins 83. Said chains are mounted on sprockets 84,86, car- I above the strip 89 is a bar 92 supported by tie I bars 93.

By comparing F igures 2, 3 and 9, it will be seen that the belts 74,75,-extend some little distance past, or overlap, receiving ends of thechains 82. This, in connection with the timing of the sides oftheoperation of the stitching is parts of the machine, is to ensure theproper delivery of each folded blank, by the belts to the chains. Suchproper'delivery means that each blank should arrive on the chains withits front edge just behind a pair of chain lugs or pins and with itsrear edge sufiiciently far in front of the next following In or pins topermit the blank to be momentari y arrested and stitched or stapledbefore said following lugs or pins reach the rear edge of the blank andcommence to push it along. To permit proper and high-speedoperation, thepins 83 of the chains 82 are spaced farther apart than the pins of thechains 64.

For the present the two stitching and fastening mechanisms, vhich are ofa wellknown type such as the Bostitch, will be referred to as a whole atA (Figs. 4, 8 and 9) and will be further referred to hereinafter.

To momentarily arrest each blank in exact position for stitching, Iprovide a pair of yieldin pivoted fingers 94 (Figs. 2, 4, 7, 9 and 10each pivoted at 95 to a block 96 mounted on bar 91 and connected by aspring 97 to a fixed pin 98 which normally holds the finger against astop 99 with its lower end traversing the path of the blanks which arethen being frictionally carried along by portions of the chains betweenforward and rearward lugs or pins thereof.

The fingers 94 are sufficiently held by their springs 97 to temporarilydetain each blank in position for the stitching, and when the done apair of chain lugs 83 catches up with the rear edge of the blank, thetwo fingers yielding to permit the blank to be pushed past them.

After passing the fingers 94, the chain lugs deliver the blanks tonipper rolls 100 and between u per and lower disks 101, 102 (Figs. 2 and4 The. upper disks 101 are carried by shaft 103, and the lower disks byshaft 104. The shafts and nipper rolls are connected by suitablegearing, and are rotated at sufficient speed to draw each blank from thechains 82 so that the lugs of the latter, when moving down around andwith the sprockets 86, will not cut into the rear edges of the'blanks.

Next, the blanks are taken by a third pair of chains 105 having lugs orpins 106 which carry the folded blanks to nipper rolls 107 which deliverthe completed articles to any suitable receiver, usually a wide, slowlytravelling, belt.

The carriages 108 for the chains 105 and the parts which cooperatetherewith, are provided with brackets 109 mounted on tie rods 110 (Figs.2 and 4) so as to be laterally shifted independently for different sizesor characters of the cartons. Said carriages have outwardly projectingpins 111 on which brackets 112 are adjustably mounted, said bracketssupporting. breaker rods 113 and long bent strips or plates 114.

16) are easily set upright The object of the members just described isimportant for the reason that the material of which the cartons are madeis usually rather stiff and therefore unless the crease lines which areto define the angles of the cartons when they are manually converted byusers to the form for receptacles and covers are easily bendable, it isdifficult to effect proper conversion or setting up with all angle linesstraight.

This feature of the invention will become plainer when it is understoodthat those sections of each blank which, while passing through themachine, are folded flat under and against other portions (see Figs. 14and later. But there are other crease lines on which no folding is doneby the machine. These are the crease lines 7 (see Figs. 13 to 16), andthe purpose of the breaker rods 113 and strips 114 is to 3 effect aweakening of the crease lines f without completing folding of theportions of the blank which are beyond said lines. Each folded andstitched blank being carried along by the chains tion of the arrows 2(Figs. 14 and 16) and the portions beyond the crease lines 7 at oppositesides of the machine, first pass along under the inclined rods 113 to anapproximate vertical position so as to break said lines f to render theouter portions readily bendable later on said lines. This effect isroduced not only across the sections a c of the folded blank but alsoacross the inwardly folded sections Figures 13 to 16 indicate creaselines made in the blanks and on which folding either is done by themachine or are needed to later facilitate manual conversion of the fiatfolded cartons to condition for use. The strips or plates 114 are sobent or formed and so positioned relatively to the breaker rods 113 thatthe portions of the cartons beyond the crease lines f first pass alongbetween the rods 113 and the outer smooth surfaces of the strips 114until they reach the portions of the strips which are substantiallyvertical and then, to

render it certain that said temporarily flexed portions will be returnedto outward fiat plane,

the strips to the outer ends thereof and are thereby directed to a planeof travel that will ensure correct delivery to and between the er rolls117.

nip?

eferrlng now to the means for controlling stitchers A, the timing ofoperationis such that each folded blank drawn away from the chains 64(Figs. 4 and 9') by the belts 74, 75, is delivered by the lat ter ontothe chains 82 eral inches in advance of a pair of pins 83 so that saidblank, then temporarily carried along frictionally by the chains, can bearrested by the yieldablestops 94 long enough to be stitched before saidpair of pins reach the operations of the 105 travels in the direc- I bb. All dotted lines in they ride along the outer surfaces of with itsrear edge sevr its rear edge and push it along past said stops. Saidblank, on its way to said stops, lifts a finger 115 (Fig. 11) carried bya block 116 connectedto a short rock-shaft 117 mounted in a block 118secured to a bar 92 and having o In the circuit described, there are a sring 119 acting to normally hold the roc ing block 116 against a stop120 and with the finger 115 lightly resting on the guide strip 89.

The rock-shaft 117 has a strip 121 to close an electric circuit when itcontacts with a fixed contact 122 (Fig. 12) from which a wire 123. leadsto a contact 124 below which is a spring contact 125. The two contactarms 124, 125, are carried by a fixed insulated block 126 mounted in anysuitable portion of the machine. Pivoted at 127 below the contact 125 isa lever 128 one end of which acts on the contact 125 to close thecircuit at 124, 125, when the roll 129 at the other end of the lever isacted upon by a cam 130 carried by shaft 131 which shaft may be any ofthe machine shafts that rotates once for passing blank. That is, thetiming is such that if there is no interruption in the regularcontinuity of foldedblanks being delivered by the belts 74, 75, thelever will close the circuit at 124, 125, in time for the closure to bealso effected at 121, 122, by each passing blank.

two gaps 1n series, one at 124, 125, which is continually closed andopened, and the other at 121, 122 which is only closed when a blankarrives in position to be stitched or stapled. The

5 rest of the circuit includes wire 132, two

.in Figures 14 and 16.

solenoid or equivalent magnets 133, a battery or other source ofelectricity 135, and wire 136, to the contact strip 121.

The reason for there being two magnets 133 is that there are twostitchers A A to apply staples or stitches'to the folded blanks inopposite portions thereof as indicated at w B When the circuit iscompleted at both of the gaps referred to, due to a folded blankactuating the finger 115, each magnet core 137 acts on a lever138 toactuate a tripper 139, one for each stitcher A. As illustrated in Figure8, the magnets and levers may be supported on brackets 140 se-' cured tothe stitcher stands. As both the stitching mechanism and its trippingdevice is well known and no particular structure thereof is claimedherein, detailed illustration and description thereof is omitted toavoid unnecessary prolixity. It is explained however that each stitcher1s of a duplex type to simultaneously apply stitches in two places, asindicated at m a: in Figures 14 and 16, and each has a pulley 141carried by shaft 142 driven continuously by a belt 143 from a motor 144.But no stitching operation is effected except when both of the gaps at121, 122 and 124, 125, are closed, resulting in operation of thetrippers 139.

It may be noticed that the spacing of the .nism is located in of thestitches relatively to each other is effected by ad ustments providedfor in the well known stitchers A of the type illustrated and whichadjustments need no description herein.

When the machine is employed for acting upon and producing such articlesas illustrated by- Figures 15 and 16, the folders 72 are in place asillustrated in Figures 1 and 2, secured on pins 145 projecting from thecarriage bars 73. Then in operation, after the portions 6 b have beenprimarily folded by the folders 45 (Figs. 1 and 5), the blanks travelalong the secondary portion of the machine and the portions 0! d of theblanks are turned down under by the said folders 72 before the blanksreach the stitchers. The result is that the stitches a: :1: connect theportions 0 (1 together.

To enable the machine to be employed for acting upon and producing sucharticles as illustrated by Figures 13 and 14, it is only necessary toremove the folders 72- so that no folding is eflected while the blanksare travel- 1mg along the secondary portion of the mal of them,alongside some portions of the travelling carriers, and the stitchingmechaposition to operate on the blanks while the latter are in the pathof movement of said carriers.

While the primary portion of the machine comprises a single section, thesecondary portion comprises three sections the first of which includesthe folders 72, when used, the second section includes the stitchers andthe means for controlling the operations thereof, and the third sectionis the one which includes the breakers 113. Portions of the mechanismsin each of said three sections are independently adjustable as will nowbe described:

It is desirable for some shapes or qualities of blanks, although notnecessary for all, that in each of the three sections just referred to,the carriages for the chains and the parts which directly cooperatetherewith shall be independently adjustable laterally. And of course, asis customary in all machines which employ adjustable chains mountedonsprockets, the sprockets are and are so connected with the carriagesthat when the latter are. moved laterally the sprockets are moved alongtheir shafts. In the present machine the two carriages 73 of the firstsection are mounted on tie rods 146 (Figs. 2 and 4), and screws 147mounted in splined on their shafts side portions of the frame, engagesaid car- In the second and third sections referred to,

of the secondary portion of the machine the carriages are similarlyadjustable (see Fig.

4'), the carriages of the second section being supported on tie rods 148andshiftedlaterally by screws 149, while the carriages of the thirdsection are supported on the he rods 110 and are shifted laterally byscrews 150. In practice each pair of screws 147, or 149 or 150, arerotated in unison by chain and sprocket gearing, and a suitable crank,in the same manner as lllustrated in connection with the screws 38 ofthe primary section illustrated in Figures 1 and 3.

Many members of the gearing illustrated in the drawings are leftundescribed because the specific structure thereof is not claimed hereinand may vary more or less without de arting from the present invention.

ldaving now described my invention, I claim i 1. A machine for making aplurality of types of folded cartons, said machine having travellingblank-carriers, folding devices in position at different distances alongthe carriers, and means for securing folded portions of the blanks toother ortions thereof, the folding devices in one 0 said positions beingremovable and replaceable to control the type of carton produced.

2. A machine for making a plurality of types of folded and stitchedcartons, said machine comprising primary and secondary secthe foldingdevices said machine comprising tions at an angle to each other,blank-carriers and folding devices in each section, and stitchingmechanism in the secondary section, in the secondary section beingremovable and replaceable to control the type of carton produced.

3. A machine for producing flat-folded cartons having weakenedtransverse lines,

primary and secondary portions at an angle to each other, blank-carriersand foldin devices in each of said portions of the machine, stitchingmechanism in the second portion, and means beyond the stitchingmechanism for bending the folded and stitched blanks on transverselines.

4. A blank-folding machine having primary and secondary portions at anangle to each other, a platform at the angle for receiving folded blanksfrom said primary portion, means for arresting movement of the blankswhen delivered on the platform, and

a rotary' member having yieldin friction fingers in position to urge theblanks toward said arresting means and to also press the blanks down onthe platform.

5. A blank-folding machine having primary and secondary portions at anangle to a rotar each other, a platform at the angle for receivingfolded blanks from said primary portion, means for arresting'movement ofthe blanks when delivered on the platform, and

series of lon itudinally curved flexible friction fingers 1n position tourge the blanks toward said arresting means and to also press the blanksdown on the platform.

6. Ablank-folding and stitching machine having carriers provlded withpins for causing the blanks to travel toward a stop, mechanism inposition to apply stitches to the blanks when they reach said stop, andmeans for increasing the speed of travel of the blanks betweensaidcarriers and stop to draw the rear edges of the blanks away from thecarrier pins. 7. A blank-folding and stitching machine having ayieldable stop in the path of moving blanks, an endless carrier providedwith pins for causing the blanks to travel toward said stop, mechanismin position to apply stitches to the blanks when they reach said stop,coacting belts to take the blanks from said carrier and move them towardsaid stop, and means to move said belts faster than said carrier to drawthe rear edges of the blanks away from the carrier pins.

8. A blank-folding and stitching machine having two sets of endlesscarriers provided with pins for causing the blanks to travel, one setbeing in advance of the other, means for temporarily stopping each blankafter its arrival on the second set of carriers, means for increasingthe speed of travel of each blank passing from the first to the secondset of carriers, and means for applying stitches to each blank after itsarrival on the said second set.

9. A machine for producing fiat folded and stitched cartons, saidmachine having means for first folding the blanks, an endless carrierfor causing the folded blanks to travel, stitching mechanism and ayieldable stop intermediate the ends of said carrier, and means forcausing the stitching mechanism to operate when a blank reaches saidstop.

10. A machine for producing flat folded and stitched cartons, saidmachine having means for first folding the blanks, an endless carrierhaving pins for causing the folded blanks to travel, stitching mechanismand a yieldable stop intermediate the ends of said carrier, a movablemember normall in the path of travel of a blank approachmg said stop,and means controlled by said movable member for causing the stitchingmechanism to operate when a blank reaches said stop.

11. A blank-folding and stitching machine having two sets of endlesscarriers having pins for causing the blanks to travel, one set being inadvance of the other, the pins of the second set being spaced at greaterdistances than the pins of the first set, means for temporarily stoppingeach blank after its arrival on the second set of carriers, means forincreasing the speed of travel of each blank passing from the first tothe second set of carriers, and means for applying stitches to eachblank after its arrival on the said second set.

12. A machine for producing flat folded and stitched cartons, saidmachine having stitching mechanism and means for causing folded cartonsto travel toposition to be stitched, a finger in position to bedisplaced by a carton approaching position to be stitched, trippingmechanism for controlling the operation of the stitching mechanism,electric devices for controlling said tripping mechanism, and anelectric circuit having two gaps, means being provided for continuallyclosing and opening one of said gaps, and means connected with saidfinger for closing the other gap when a blank displaces the finger.

13. A blank-folding machine comprising primary and secondary portionsatan angle to each other, the secondary portion having a plurality ofsections, the primary portion having laterally adjustable carriagesincluding folding devices, and each section of the secondary portionhaving independent carriages including carrier chains, each'of saidindependent carriages being independently adjustable. 7 c

14. A machine for making a plurality of types of folded cartonscomprising travelling blank-carriers; folding devices 1n position atdifferent distances along the carriers; and means for securing foldedportions'of the blanks to other portions thereof, the folding.

devices in one of said positions being operative or inoperativeaccording to the type of carton to be produced.

15. A machine for making a plurality of types of folded andsecuredcartons comprismg primary and secondary sections at an angle to eachother; blank-carriers and fold:

ing devices in each section; and securing speed of travel of the blanksbetween said carriers and stop.

18. A machine of the character described comprising a stop in the pathof moving blanks; an'endless carrier for causing the blanks to traveltoward said stop; mechanism in position to appl stitches to the blankswhen they reach sald stop; elements to take the blanks from said carrierand move them toward said stop; and means for moving said elements at aspeed faster than the speed of said carrier. 1

19. A machine of the character described comprising means for foldingthe blanks; an endless carrier for causing the folded blanks to travel;stitching mechanism; a stop intermediate the ends of said carrier; andmeans for causin the stitching mechanism to operate on ailank when thelatter reaches said stop. a l 20. A machine of the character describedcomprising an endless carrier for conveying partly folded cartons havingweakened transverse lines; means to complete the folding of saidcartons; securing mechanism; means for coordinating the feed of saidcarrier with the operation of said securing mechanism;

and means for bending the blanks on said transverse lines.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature HAROLD S. LABOMBARDE.

mechanism in the secondary section, the folding devices in the secondarysection being operative or inoperative according to the type of cartonto be produced.

16. A blank-folding machine having primary and secondary portions at anan I to each other, folding mechanism in sai primary portion, a platformat said angle for receiving folded blanks-from said primary portion,means forarresting movement of the blanks when delivered on theplatform, and

means for moving the blanks across said plat form at a speedsubstantially faster than the speed at which the blanks pass saidfolding mechanism.

17. A machine of the character described comprising carriers for causingthe blanks to travel toward a stop, mechanism in position r to applystitches to the blanks when they reach said stop, and means forincreasing the

